Best Cheap Medicare Advantage Plans in New Jersey
Humana sells the best cheap Medicare Advantage plans in New Jersey. All three of its plan options have excellent 4.5-star ratings, and the company has cheap rates overall. But Cigna is the best option for Medicare Advantage plans with no monthly rate.
UnitedHealthcare (UHC) has the highest-quality Medicare Advantage plans in New Jersey. But UHC's rates are higher than the state average, so it's not the best option for budget shoppers.
The average cost for a Medicare Advantage plan with prescription drug coverage in New Jersey is $22 per month in 2023.
How we chose top plans: We used data-driven research that took into account factors such as overall cost, plan quality and availability.
Compare New Jersey Medicare Advantage plans
Humana has the best Medicare Advantage plans in New Jersey because of its high quality of care, strong customer service and low average costs. All of Humana's HMO plans have no monthly premium. Its PPO plans average just $8 a month, well below the state average.
Companies offering Medicare Advantage plans in New Jersey
Company | CMS quality rating | Monthly cost |
|---|---|---|
| Cigna (best $0 plans) | 3.0 | $0 |
| Amerigroup | 3.5 | $5 |
| Humana (best cheap plans) | 4.5 | $7 |
| Braven Health | 3.5 | $8 |
| Health Partners Medicare | 4.0 | $10 |
| Clover Health | 3.5 | $16 |
| Wellcare | 3.0 | $21 |
| UnitedHealthcare (best-quality plans) | 4.5 | $34 |
| Aetna Medicare | 3.7 | $37 |
Ratings are out of five and are based on national data taken from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Costs are based on an average of all Medicare Advantage plans offered in New Jersey.
Medicare Advantage plans are the same as Medicare Part C. They bundle together Medicare Parts A and B, which cover hospital visits and typical medical services, and frequently Part D, which is prescription drug coverage. That means you get all of your medical and prescription drug coverage from a single source. Many plans also add on dental and vision benefits, which aren't ordinarily available through traditional Medicare.
When choosing the right Medicare Advantage plan for you, you should consider pricing, coverage and CMS ratings. For example, you may choose an HMO over a PPO to pay less per month.
The plans you can purchase depend on which county you live in. Although New Jersey has 60 Medicare Advantage plans, which are offered by 10 different insurance companies, the average consumer only has access to a fraction of those plans.
Best cheap Medicare Advantage: Humana
-
Overall rating
- Average monthly cost: $7
Humana's Medicare Advantage plans combine strong coverage with affordable rates.
The average plan from Humana costs just $7 a month in premiums.
Humana stands apart for the extra add-on services it offers to its members. These benefits go above and beyond what many Medicare Advantage providers include in their plans.
- Telehealth visits
- Vision
- Dental
- SilverSneakers
- Insulin savings program
- Prescription drug coverage
In addition, Humana provides the standard benefits that all Medicare Advantage plans are required to offer by law, such as inpatient and outpatient medical care, emergency room coverage, surgery, diabetes treatment, mental health care and skilled nursing.
Humana also has a good customer service reputation. J.D. Power ranked Humana second nationwide for customer satisfaction for Medicare Advantage in 2022. The company also has roughly 35% fewer complaints than an average company its size, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). This indicates customers are generally satisfied with their service. This is crucial for health care because poor service can make your experience considerably more stressful.
Humana offers Medicare Advantage plans everywhere in New Jersey except Middlesex County, a relatively large and well-populated region that encompasses parts of the New York City metro area.
Highest-rated Medicare Advantage plans: UnitedHealthcare
-
Overall rating
- Average monthly cost: $34
UnitedHealthcare is the only Medicare Advantage provider in New Jersey to offer plans with five stars from CMS, the highest possible rating.
Highly-rated plans provide consumers with better customer service experiences and care quality.
You can get five-star UnitedHealthcare plans everywhere in New Jersey except Salem and Hunterdon counties. If a five-star plan is available to you, you can switch to it at any time, even if it's not open enrollment. Only 11% of all plans in the country got a five-star rating in 2023.
UnitedHealthcare also receives only half the customer complaints of an average company its size, according to the NAIC. This is another sign customers are happy with their coverage. However, the company's $34 average monthly premium is significantly higher than the state average.
Best zero-dollar-premium plans: Cigna
-
Overall rating
- Average monthly cost: $0
Cigna's $0-per-month plans have lower-than-average out-of-pocket maximums, which is unusual for zero-dollar-premium plans.
This means Cigna is a good option if you have serious or chronic health conditions because you’ll still pay less in total than you would for many plans that charge a monthly premium.
Cigna also stands out for its broad array of $0-premium Medicare Advantage plans. With 28 plans available across 10 counties, Cigna offers the largest number of no-premium Medicare Advantage plans in New Jersey. This means you have more choices and flexibility when it comes to plan options.
Keep in mind that zero-dollar plans aren't free. You still have to pay your Medicare Part B monthly premium to the government. In addition, you're on the hook for out-of-pocket expenses when you get care, like your deductible, copays and coinsurance.
However, Cigna tends to score poorly in terms of customer service. In J.D. Power's 2022 Medicare Advantage customer satisfaction survey, Cigna was ranked second from the bottom. It receives 27% more complaints than the average health insurance company of its size, according to the NAIC.
Can I buy a Medicare Supplement plan in New Jersey if I have Medicare Advantage?
No, a Medicare Supplement plan, also known as Medigap, helps you pay for out-of-pocket costs like your deductible, copay and coinsurance for an Original Medicare plan. Remember, Original Medicare consists of Parts A and B, and it's directly administered by the government. You cannot buy both a Medigap plan and Medicare Advantage in New Jersey, or anywhere else in the U.S.
To purchase a Medicare Supplement plan in New Jersey, you have to switch from your Medicare Advantage plan back to an Original Medicare plan. You can compare Medigap plans on Medicare.gov. Simply enter your ZIP code in the search bar, and a list of Medicare Supplement plans in your area will appear.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best Medicare Advantage plans in New Jersey?
The best Medicare Advantage plans in New Jersey are from Humana because of their low costs and high ratings by the Centers for Medicare &
How much does Medicare Advantage cost in New Jersey?
The average Medicare Advantage plan in New Jersey that includes prescription drug coverage is $22 a month in 2023. The out-of-pocket maximum for these plans averages $7,550.
What is the highest-rated Medicare Advantage plan in 2023?
UnitedHealthcare has six five-star plans in the state of New Jersey. At the company level, both Humana and UnitedHealthcare have an average star rating of 4.5 across all of their Medicare Advantage plans.
Methodology and sources
Medicare Advantage cost and star rating data for 2023 was sourced from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). J.D. Power and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) were used to determine customer satisfaction levels.
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Callers will be directed to a licensed and certified representative of Medicare Supplement insurance and/or Medicare Advantage HMO, HMO SNP, PPO, PPO SNP and PFFS organizations. Calls will be routed to a licensed insurance agent who can provide you with further information about the insurance plans offered by one or more nationally recognized insurance companies. Each of the organizations they represent has a Medicare contract. Enrollment in any plan depends on contract renewal.
Availability of benefits and plans varies by carrier and location and may be limited to certain times of the year unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. We do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 73 organizations which offer 5,110 products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.
These numbers provided are not specific to your area, but rather represent the number of organizations and the number of products available on a national basis. We will connect you with licensed insurance agents who can provide information about the number of organizations they represent and the number of products they offer in your service area. Not all plans offer all of these benefits. Benefits may vary by carrier and location.
Deductibles, copays, coinsurance, limitations, and exclusions may apply.
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